Counting machine



March 31,1953 P. M. MCINDAVID 3% 7 COUNTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1950 4 PATRICKMMcDAVID Z INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1953 UNITED S TATES PATENT OFFICE COUNTING MACHINE Patrick M. McDavid, Fort Worth, Tex. Application August a, 1950, Serial No. 177,494

Claims, (01. 101-3019 This invention relates to counting machines and more particularly 'toa machine forcounting timing lines on records.

While-this invention is applicable to counting tiniinglines on records i-ngeneral, for the sake of" clarity and simplicity it will be described herein in connectionwith counting the timing lines on oscillograph records, c. g. as produced'in a seismograph camera.

Heretofore "in counting the timing lines on oscillogra-ph records the general practice has been to count the lines by hand, beginning at a predetermined zero line on the record and writ- 'ing consecutive numberson each tenth linethereafter. Hand counting is unsatisfactory in that the practice is slow and inaccurate as to locating each tenth line and also as to' properly numbering said lines. Furthermore, the legibility of the pen-and-ink numbering of the lines depends on the penmanship and care of the particular operator, and consequently is often difficult or impossible to read;

, object of this invention is to provide a 'counting'machine. Another'objectisto provide a machine for counting, timing lines on records. A. further object is to provide a machine for counting timing lines on records, which machine eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art. A still further object is to provide a machine for counting'timing lines on; records, which machine is characterized byaccuracy; by speeding up the process of counting the lines, by producing good results, and by simplicity of construction and operation. Other objects will be apparent from the description of; this invention given hereinafter. The above objects are accomplished according to: this" invention. broadly by providing and emp'lcying' a machine which comprises in combinationr-a base and top pivotally attached together alcngone side thereof; an elasticmember on said top; "a; series of characters on the elastic member spaced apart a predetermined distance, means for inking the characters, means for adjusting the elastic member and maintaining it in substantiall y the condition to which" adjusted.

A preferred embodiment of this invention will now'be described in more detail with reference to. the accompanying drawings: Like reference numerals are used 1 to indicate identical parts:

Referring to-the drawings generally? Figure 1 is a pictorial view of" the machine, showing the general overall picture of the ma chinewith thetop and shelf; open and. a record "its xthelmachine position to be counted by closingthe top. a

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine, showing the characters being inked.

Figure" 3 is a side view of the machine as it appears when counting the lines of a record.

Figure 4 11s a plan view in brokensout section, showing: the spool and shaft: for adjustingrthe elastic member.

Figure 5 :is a side elevation of Figure 4.

Figure .6. is a sectional view along the line A--A of Figure 1, showing details of one of the clamps for clamping the elastic member to the top of the machine.

Figure '7 is an end view showing details of the counterbalance spring which. can be used to facilitate opening the top of the counting machine.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail:

The machine 'a'co'rding to a preferred embodiment of this invention comprises the following: A base I and top 2 are 'pivotally attached together, e. g. as by hinges 3, along one side there- An elastic member '4, e. g. rubber or other elastic material in the form of a band or strip, extends along the upper side of the outer free edge opposite the hinged edge of the top. One end of the elastic band 4 is attached'to the top 2 at one corner thereof and the other end. is attached to a spool 5 on the opposite corner of the top. The spool is rotatably mounted on a shaft 6; The shat-t 6 is secured to the top by means of a metal or other suitable strip 1 which is fastened to the top 2 by means of screws 8' or other suitable fastening means.

One example of records of the type under consideration is thetype record made by an oscillo'graph camera. The distance between lines on such records varies from one type of. record to another type of record, from one record toanother-record of the same type, andalso. within any given record. The records also havelongitudinal parallel line's crossingthe transverse lines at right anglesalthough only the transverse lines are counted. In view of. this and the requirement that the numbers or other characters used to: count" the lines on records must? fall on or index with the lines to be counted, the. distance between the characters must be extremely flex- 'ibleor otherwisei the counting: machine will be sorestricted in use as tobe practically worthless.

A series of characters. 9 are secured to the elastic band. 4. These may be attached to the bend by gluing or otherwise. Usually each character isa piece of. metal, plastic, rubber or other. satisfactory material: having a number thereon, and the numbers are in consecutive order reading from left to right on the elastic band 4 as it appears on the machine. Generally the characters are placed an equal distance apart on the band, the spacing corresponding as near as possible to the minimum distance between the lines to be counted on records in general. The distance between the characters 9 is increased uniformly by turning the spool 5 counter-clockwise, causing the elastic band 4 to wind upon the spool 5 and uniformly stretch the band. Locking means, e. g. a friction washer l9, prevents the spool from turning back in a clockwise direction to its initial position and thereby holds the band in substantially the condition to which stretched.

This adjustment means alone would be sufficient if the distance between lines in a given record were uniform, but since they are frequently non-uniform, other means of adjustment must be provided so that the band can be in effect divided into segments or sections and the distance between characters within a given segment can be uniformly adjusted independently of another segment. The preferred means of making such adjustment is provided for by clamps II and ll-a attached at intervals to the top 2 of the machine. Any number of clamps desired may be provided, and of those provided any number or none may be used on a given operation, de-

pending on the variance encountered in a record.

After counting a record, usually the elastic band 4 is under tension (1. e. stretched) and is held under such condition by the friction washer l and the clamps H and Il-a. It is desirable not to alter this condition except when and as required for counting the next record, because counting this next record usually will require that the band be under tension which may be the same or different from that required in counting a the previous record. Generally it has been found that following this practice saves time as compared with releasing the band to its normal unstretched condition after counting each record. For this reason reference herein to adjusting the elastic band is intended to include stretching the band to increase the distance between the characters thereon, or lessening the tension (under which the band happens to be at the time adjustment is begun) to decrease the distance between the characters.

Although various other clamping devices may be employed, the preferred clamp is shown in Figure 1 and Figure 6 of the drawings. This clamp includes a regular bolt l2, a piece of spring steel 13 on the head of the bolt, a slotted wedge M, a washer I and nut l6. Excellentresults have been obtained with a fiat spring steel turned inwardly toward the elastic band 4, the turned-in edge I! being serrated I8 e. g. as on the cutting edge of a saw blade, to give increased gripping effect. The bolt passes through a hole in the top 2 of the machine so positioned that the serrated edge of the spring can grip the elastic band. The slotted wedge I4 is on the opposite side of the top. As the thicker part of the wedge is pushed beneath the washer l5, the serrated edge [8 of the spring 13 firmly grips the elastic band 4 against the top of the machine and thereby in effect divides the elastic band into segments, three segments I9, 20 andZl being pos- "sible with two clamps. As the thinner part of *the wedge ispushed beneath the washer I5, the spring releases its grip on the elastic band.

A'shelf 22 is pivotally attached, as by hinges 23, to the side of the base I opposite the side on which the top 2 is hinged. Along one surface the shelf has attached thereto an absorbent material 24 (Figure 3) e. g. balsawood, adapted to hold ink for inking the characters 9 when the shelf is in a closed position. Figure 2 shows the characters being inked in this manner. When the shelf is in an open position (Figure 1), under certain circumstances it serves as a support for a record being counted, as will be pointed out hereinafter in describing the operation of the machine.

A record 25 is shown in Figure 1 in position to be counted. Arms 26, e. g. of flat spring steel, at both ends of the base I hold the record in place while being counted. A mirror 2! enables the operator, while seated at about the center of the machine, to index the zero line of the record with the zero line 28 of the machine. A counterbalance spring 29 may be provided if desired to facilitate opening the top 2.

The operation of the machine just disclosed will now be described with reference to counting the timing lines on an oscillograph record made with a seismograph camera. It is general practice in counting these records, first to select the zero line on the record and designate it by the numeral zero. predetermined line near the shot break, which is a break on one of the longitudinal lines of the record and represents the time of explosion of the detonator cap used in the seismic prospecting operation. The line selected as zero depends, among other things, upon the method of computing the record, as is clearly understood in the art. Next each tenth timing line on the record is counted, using the numeral l for the first timing line and consecutive numerals for the timing lines to be counted that follow. Usually each tenth line is somewhat darker than the lines in between. Since the lines are close together, it is important that each number fall on the corresponding line counted. Because of the inherent variables in the operation of the seismograph camera (and like high speed cameras in this respect) and the variance between such cameras, the spacing of the timing lines almost always varies from record to record and frequently varies within a given record. Thus the distance between ten timing lines in one part of a record is often greater or less than the distance between ten timing lines in another part of the same record.

In operating the counting machine of this invention, the shelf 22 is closed by folding it back upon the top surface of the base I, as shown in Figure 2. This brings the absorbent material or inking pad 24 in alignment with the characters 9 on the elastic band 4 when the top 2 of the machine is closed. The top of the machine is closed, thus inking the characters. Normally it is sufiicient to ink the characters after about every fifth use. The shelf is then opened to the position shown in Figure 1. A record 25 is placed in the machine by slightly raising the spring arms 26, slipping the record under them, indexing the zero line of the record with the zero line 28 of the machine, and then releasing the spring arms to hold the record in place.

Next the characters 9 must be indexed with the timing lines on the record to be counted. If the distance between lines on the record is substantially uniform,- in'dexing is relatively simple and the clamps II- and ll-aare not necessary. In such case counting is done by closing the topZ such that the characters 9 are slightly above the This is done by selecting some tlmingiIlinestafidtthentturnin the spaol' swunul nyfonecharaterisindexe with timing: 'ne elto counted.iSincehn:thismarticular-part the escriptionithedharacters'99rare' being ridexed itiming liries uriiforrhlysspacdv apart bn "r ;fandfisince theicharacters 'areu formly ap t, itwilhbe'ereadilyi"seen tha i by' inaracter withone tirnin ne 'the "Z; e'" Pin"dexed= with-= sthe efriction washer 0" blds'fthe dju'stid; "*TheitopQ isfpressed fagainst theibase 'herebynumb'eringthe?timing lines bfltheilecernur'hbers "willt'app'ear"oni the outside recordiwitlrresp'et?toiits position*iin'fl 'ilffitiis'. es eiiftoicountthefioppo- 1 f'thei'springrtarmsflStare againnza .d -anid 'the. ecord':movdtowardfthe peratorboverfthdshelfifilz,rtheitzerdiines'tofthe ,zrxecord-; andmachinelindexedaasi'b ef eitheispri ng Q rms elease zandiithetcp rclosed. counting wedgemfithevmecord, ftheis'hiel'f tserves as an eeictensiontofiithe ib ase'jf l..;r' f,.the machinei-and'iaids ....;thdT.ba'se.msupportingfthetrecord'25. v I tithe timing linesionitherecordare unevenly espaced, as theyareonmost records, prcpercounta' ingszrequires tadd-itional adjustmefits. of the .maechine andcwthe clampsf l hand .l-la, .or. equivalent "means, become anecessity. "In counting such'una evenly,:-spacedllines,r.thescharacters 9 are inked, if needed, andthe record positioned, as described above. Theifiharacters'ionvtheifirst segment I9 of .litheielasticband 4..(i. el thecharacters between the mirror "21 and the first clamp H) are indexed with the lcorrespondingpart ofthe record 25. This is donerasdescribewabove; bypartially closingtthe' top 2 and then turning the spool-.E-nntil heacharactersare "inialignment-mith ithe=5timing ines' i'toibev counted. .Theclampfll 1525813,."35 de ci i-bedziabove, thereby Wbinding tithe elastic .b and toithe top .Z ahdmaintairiihgtthis segment. [9 of he ban'd in thenpositionto which: adjusted. =:seg-

ment Z flrandesegmentl iofi'the'band areiadjusted like'cmanner-usingthe am-pHl-a and'gspool 5. 'mfter -iridexing-is--completegtherrecordiistcounted by closing the top.

Alternatively, instead of the shelf 22 and inking pad 24 thereon for inking the characters 9 prior to use, an arrangement may be used similar to that used on a typewriter for inking the type. For instance, the inked ribbon and spools therefor of a conventional typewriter, or equivalent means, can be suitably mounted on the top 2 of the machine such that the ribbon extends over the charactors 9 and counts the record by typewriter action when the top 2 is closed. The point at which the characters contact the ribbon can be changed'simply by turning the spooland winding the ribbon onto one spool off the other spool. Whilethis alternative is contemplated and within the scope of the present invention, it does not work as well as the preferred embodiment described hereinbefore. One difficulty is that the inked ribbon tends to smear on the record and the numbers so placed on the record tend to be blurred. While the inking means described above prior to this paragraph is preferred to the ribbon inking means just described, the two inking means are substantially equivalent for the purposes of this invention.

While clamps II and l 1-1; which are non-adjustable (as shown in the drawings) lengthwise of the machine are preferred, these clamps may be made adjustable by providing elongated slots condition 'to"whichadjuste'd ;"clamping*means*on i-may be=raise raised-=remote-lysbyuneans not ."shown)'-1o pdal arrangement having-ssuitable connect'ons d-to' theiarms.

s .many apparently rwidelw differentienibodifi ment f this inventiorrmay:bemadawithoutide- 'parting 'i-rom the -'spii' it and scope thereof,i i is to -be run'derstood}that thdinVehtiorfiidnot to e =limrIitdtospecific embodimentsTthereofexcept-"as dei -fine -the-appended'iclaims.

aim: T1. machineifor 'counting timlngiinescnireci*-orfds,.comprising' n coznbinationz kzbase and top f "votailyzattachedstogethen;alongfi neisi'de ftheredfgianz elast-icememb er along the 'nsidersurfacerbf e tqpg a series'sf characters-onithe eiastic memrber spaced'iapartapredetermined 'distanee;. means 'for inkingf'the =characters including-"an absorbent famaterial secured -'to 'a".backing*or 'support therefor i pivotallyz attached along I the opposite s'ideof- 'said iibase,:means' for'adjusting the tension in' the elastic 'memb er and thereby varying the di'stancbetweenthe characters, means to maintainthe'elasf 'tic member in 'substantially the condition to w-liich a'djusted, means for*clampingthe elastic member "againstsaidtop 'and' therby dividing%the-la'stic "me'mb'er'into=a+number of"-segments; a mirror for aiding inpositioningthefrecordmn themachine, and means for *holdingtherecordiir place onthe machine.

2. A machine-for counting timing linesronrecords, comprisingin combination: -a*"base"and top Thinged together" along onesi'dethereof ;'an%elas'tic 'member on said 13 1 aseriesrof characters on the elastic member substantially equally'spaced" apart a "predetermined distance "a shelf? hinged along *the' opposite-side of said base ;an"a'bsorbent"material attachedtto"andiextending"alongthe shelf for inking .theichara'cters;imeansifor"adjustin "the *elasticmemberiiand thereby :varying thedistance"between""the "characters {flocking means"to *maintainijthe'. elastic memberinrsubstantially the said top adapted to clamp the elastic member against said top and thus divide the elastic member into segments which may be adjusted uniformly to a different degree to vary the distance apart of the characters of one segment over that in another segment in order that the characters will index with the lines on the record to be counted, thereby providing a machine for accurately and rapidly counting the timing lines on a record in which the distance between timing lines varies.

3. A machine for counting timing lines on records, comprising in combination: a base and top hinged together along one side thereof; an elastic member on said top; a series of characters' on the elastic member substantially equally spaced apart a predetermined distance; a shelf hinged along the opposite side of said base; an absorbent material attached to and extending along the shelf for inking the characters; means, including a spool rotatably mounted on a shaft attached to said top, one end of the elastic member being attached to the spool, for adjusting the elastic member and thereby varying the distance between the characters by rotating the spool around the shaft; locking means, including friction washers on the shaft, for maintaining the elastic member in substantially the condition to which adjusted; clamping means on saidtop adapted to clamp the elastic member against said 1y counting the timing lines on a record in which the distance between timing lines varies.

' 4. A machine for counting timing lines on records, comprising in combination: a base and top hinged together along one side thereof; an elastic member having its ends attached to said top; a series of characters on the elastic member substantially equally spaced apart --a predetermined distance; a' shelf hinged along the opposite side of said base; an absorbent material attached to and extending along the shelf, and

appearing on the top surface of the shelf when the shelf is in a closed position, for inking the characters by closing the shelf and then closing said top; means, including a spool rotatably mounted on a shaft attached to said top, one end of the elastic member being attached to the spool, for adjusting the elastic member and thereby varying the distance between the characters by rotating the spool around the shaft; locking means, including friction washers on the shaft, for maintaining the elastic member in substantially the condition to which adjusted; clamping means on said top adapted to clamp the elastic member against said top and thus divide the elastic member into segments which may be uniformly adjusted to a different degree to vary the distance apart of the characters in one segment over that in another segment in order that the characters will index with the timing lines on the record to be counted, thereby providing a machine for accurately and rapidly counting the timing lines on a record in which the distance betweentiming lines varies.

5. A machine for. counting timing lines on records, comprising in combination: a base and top hinged together along one side thereof; an elastic member having its ends attached tosaid top; a series of characters on the elastic member substantially equally spaced apart a predetermined distance; a shelf hinged alongthe opposite side of said base; an absorbent material attached to and extending along the shelf, and appearing on the top surface of the shelf when the shelf is in a closed position, for inking the characters by closing the shelf and then closing said top; means, including a spool rotatably mounted on a shaft attached to said top, one

.end of the elastic member being attached to the spool, for adjusting the elastic member and thereby varying the distance between the characters by rotating the spool around the shaft; locking means, including friction washers on the shaft, for maintaining the elastic member in substantially the condition to which adjusted; clamping means on said top adapted to clamp the elastic member against said top and thus divide the elastic member into segments which may be uniformly adjusted to a different degree to vary the distance apart of the characters in one segment over that in another segment; a mirror for aiding the operator in properly placing the record on the machine; and means for holding the record in place on the machine, thereby providing a machine for accurately and rapidly counting the timing lines on a record in which the distance between timing lines varies.

PATRICK M. MQDAVID.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Slonczewski Feb. 22, 1944 

